Crock pot or stove top spicy nut clusters! These dark chocolate cayenne nut clusters are a favorite during the holiday season. Notes are included for dialing the heat up or down to suit your taste.
Are there any spicy-food fans in the house?
I’m not usually one of them, but Ryan loves heat, so I decided to give it a try. The spark for this recipe came when a neighbor dropped off chocolate-covered chipotle almonds. Ryan’s first reaction was that they looked like something else in a bag, but once we tasted them I was surprised at how well the smoky spice paired with dark chocolate.
The cayenne keeps you from mindlessly snacking the entire bag — for me, it was a pleasant balance of sweet and spicy. Ryan, on the other hand, barely noticed the heat and polished them off quickly.
The great thing about these clusters is how easy it is to adjust the spice. Taste as you go when adding the cayenne so you can get the chocolate-to-heat ratio you prefer.
Here’s our recommended spice levels:
Ryan: 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, maybe 3 for more heat
Beth: 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper at most
For the nuts we used unsalted peanuts, almonds, and pecans, but you can choose any combination you like. The recipe produces glossy clusters with a crisp snap — that shine comes from tempering the chocolate.
Tempering means lowering the temperature of melted chocolate in a controlled way so the finished chocolate sets glossy and firm. A simple method is to stir finely chopped chocolate into warm, melted chocolate until it melts — this cools and stabilizes the mixture and gives the finished clusters a clean break.
How to easily temper chocolate
Melt most of your chocolate, then add finely chopped chocolate (about half of the total) and stir until it melts into the warm chocolate. Stirring in the chopped chocolate lowers the temperature and helps the chocolate set shiny and snap cleanly.
These clusters make a thoughtful homemade gift for anyone who likes a little spice with their sweets.
More Desserts
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- Chocolate Muffins
Dark chocolate cayenne nut clusters video
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Dark Chocolate Cayenne Nut Clusters
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Equipment
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Cookie dough scoop
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Mini cupcake liners
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Large cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 pound chocolate almond bark, chopped (about 16 oz)
- 10 oz dark chocolate chips (divided)
- 1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 3 cups (426g) unsalted peanuts
- 1 ½ cups (213g) unsalted almonds
- 1 ½ cups (213g) unsalted pecans
Video
Instructions
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Spray your crock pot with non-stick spray and set to low. For stovetop, use a large pot over low heat.
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Add the chocolate almond bark and half of the dark chocolate chips. Stir, cover, and stir occasionally until melted.
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Finely chop the remaining dark chocolate chips and stir them into the melted chocolate until they melt. This cools the mixture slightly and helps temper the chocolate so it sets glossy and firm.
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Stir in the peanuts, almonds, and pecans until all the nuts are well coated.
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Using a cookie scoop, drop clusters into mini muffin cups or onto a silicone-lined baking sheet or parchment paper.
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Let the clusters harden, then share and enjoy.
Notes
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper — mild with a noticeable kick
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper — medium heat (spicy for some, mild for others)
- 3 tsp cayenne pepper — very spicy
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided as a courtesy. Changing ingredients or quantities will alter the estimates.
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